Reba McEntire mourned her former stepson Brandon Blackstock with a touching tribute on social media five days after his death at the age of 48.

“Last week, my stepson/oldest son Brandon Blackstock went home to be with God,” McEntire wrote. “His struggle is over and he is in eternal peace in God’s presence. There is no one else like him, and I’m thankful for the time we had together. His legacy and laughter will be carried on through his family. Rest in peace cowboy. Happy trails to you til we meet again.”

McEntire married Blackstock’s father, Narvel Blackstock, in 1989. Following their marriage, she became stepmother to his three children, Brandon, Shawna, and Chassidy. The exes also shared a son, Shelby, who was born in 1990. McEntire divorced Narvel in 2015, but she remained close to her stepchildren following the split.

Blackstock died at the age of 48 on August 7 after a private three-year battle with cancer. Silver Bow County Coroner Dan Hollis confirmed that his cause of death was melanoma and that the manner of death was natural causes.

The talent manager was previously married to Kelly Clarkson, with whom he shared children River, 11, and Remington, 9. He also had two adult children, Savannah and Seth, with first wife Melissa Ashworth.

Blackstock’s family confirmed his death with a statement that said, “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

One day prior to his death, Clarkson confirmed her ex-husband was ill and that she was postponing the remainder of the August dates for her Las Vegas residency to support their children. Clarkson and Blackstock tied the knot in 2013. She filed for divorce in 2020 and it was finalized in 2022.

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